Wire loop forming device



Filed July l0, 1940 /w/E /KE/o/e /c/V.

Patented Apr. 1, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,236,503 v WIRE L'ooPFORMING DEVICE John Heidrich, Los Angeles, Calif. Application July 1o,1940, serial No. 344,751

(C1. 14o-123) i l 7 Claims.

My invention relates to la wire loop forming dev-ice and the inventionherein disclosed is an improvement on the wire loop forming deviceforming the subject matter of my copending application for U. S. LettersPatent filed March 27, 1940, Serial No. 326,253.

The principal lobjects of my present invention are, to generally improveupon and simplify the construction of the device disclosed in myaforesaid copendlng patent application, further, to provide a wire loopforming device particularly designed for use in twisting Wire to formloops that receive and fasten fishhooks, swivels, or the like, andfurther, :to provide simple and eicient means that will impart thenecessary degree of tension .to that portion of the wire that beingtwisted to form a loop.

A further .object of my invention is, :to provide a device of thecharacter referred to having tension producing means that may be easilyand quickly adjusted for producing the desired degree of ltension forwires of Idifferent sizes that are .acted upon and twisted .to provideloops.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, my invention consists incertain novel features of construction and arrangement of parts thatwill be hereinafter more 4fully described and .claimed and illustratedin the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a. side elevational view of a wire loop forming deviceconstructed in accordance with Y my invention.

Fig. 2` is .a detail horizontal section taken on the -line 2-2 of Fig.1.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section taken lon the line 3-3 of Fig. l.

Fig. 3A is an enlarged cross section taken on the line 3A-3A of Eig. 3.

Eig. 4 is a horizontal section taken on the'.

Fig. 5 is an elevational view of a modied form of the adjustable tensionarm forming a part of 'the wire twisting device.

Fig. 6 is a plan view of the modied i'orm of the adjustable tensionproducing arm.

Fig. 7 is a vertical cross section taken on the line '|-1 'of Fig. 6.

Referring by numerals to the accompanying drawing which illustrates apreferred embodiment of my invention, I0 designates a flat bar thatprovides a support for the operating parts of the device and formed insaidbar near vone end is a pair of reversely arranged keyholeshapedapertures for' the reception of screws |2` that are seated in asupportingl member |=3,

thus firmly holding the bar in horizontal Iposition. Obviously, othermeans m-ay be utilized for supporting the bar in horizontal position.

Formed on the end of bar l0 opposite from the openings II is avertically dispo-sed bearing M flor -a shaft I5, theup'per end of whichis formed intoI a crank handle 1B and the lower end of said shaftterminating in an upturne-d hook for the reception of a shhook or themember that is connected to the loop formed in a section of wire by thedevice.

Formed in the intermediate portion of bar I0 is a pair of verticallydisposed `channels t8 that receive the parallel legs of an elongatedU-shaped member |9, preferably formed from a single piece of heavy wire,and this member is adjustably mounted on bark l0 by means of a bolt 29that passes through bar l0 and thro-ugh Ia washer 2| and the latterbeing clamped against the legs of member I9 by a winged nut 22 @that isseated on the threadedend of bolt 20.

Mounted for vertical adjustment on the member I9 is a metalplate 23,yone vertical edge of which is bent at Aright angles to form a flange24, and formed in the vertical edge of said an-ge is a series of notches25. A bolt 26 passes through plate 23 between theV legs vof member |'9and screw seated on the threaded portion of said bolt and positionedbetween the legs :of member I9 is a nut 2l. I

A clamping plate 23 is provided with ari aperture for the reception lofbolt 26 and the ends of this `plate above and below the nut 21 Iare bentslightly toward plate 23 so as to engage the legsof member I9. A Wingednut 2x9 is screw seated on the threaded end of bolt 26 and when thiswinged nut is tightened, the plates 2'3 and 28 are clamped upon theleg-s of member I9 in properly adj-usted position One end of a tensionarm 3|! is pivotally mounted. on bolt 216 adjacent plate 23 and mountedon said bolt between the head ,thereof and said arm is .a .torsionalcoil spring 3|. From the end of this spring adjacent the head of bolt 28an arm 32 projects outwardly past the notched edge of iiange 24 and thelouter end of said arm ter- Initiating in a loop 33. This arm 32 may bemoved vertically along the notched `edge .of liange 24 and engaged inany one of the notches thereof, Ithereby varying the ydegree oftorsional strains of spring 3| and consequently providing meanserations. The end of the section of wire forming spring 3l and arm 32opposite the end that extended to provide said arm is extended alongsidethe arm 30 and the :terminal portion of this extension is bent at rightlangles as designated by 34 and such bent portion extends through anaperture 35 that is formed in arm 30. This portion 34 is adapted toengage against the vertical edge of plate 23 opposite the edge providedwith the iiange 24, thereby formi-ng a stop to limit the downwardswinging movement of the tension arm.

Projecting outwardly from .the upper edge of arm 30 .and disposed atright angles thereto is a flange 35 and from the outer edge of thisflange .the material forming ythe tension arm, and which is preferablysheet metal, is rebent and extended over the ange 35 to form atra-nsversely inclined ange 36. The space 31 between the anges 35 and 3Bgradually decreases in width to the point where said flanges unite, thusprovid-ing space for different sizes of wire that are mounted upon thetension arm and which are twisted to form loops.

At the outer end of arm 3D, the end of the overlying flange 35 isseparated along its side edge from the vcorrespond-ing edge of theunderrlying flange 35 and the material in the end of flange 35 alongthis line of separation is bent upwardly to form an inclined lip 38.

Formed in `the edge of this lip adjacent `the point where the sameunites with the flange 35 is a notch 39 for the reception of thatportion of the wire that is formed into a coil.

Formed in the intermediate portion of flange 35 on the opposite sidefrom the notch 39 is a pair oi spaced wire receiving notches 40.

Where my improved device is utilized for forminga loop from wire thatpasses through the eye of a shhook, a portion of the wire adjacent theend of the section utilized passes through one or both of the notches4D, thence lengthwise through the .tapered space between the lian-ges 35and 36, thence upwardly through notch 39, through the eye of the shhook,and from the latter the wire extends downward alongside the free enld ofthe tension arm 30.

The arm 32 that projects from .the end of spring 3l is now adjusted onthe notched edge of flange 24 so as to impart torsional strains tospring 3| and lconsequently establishing the proper degree of tension orresistance to upward swinging movement of the arm 30 ,to correspond withthe size of the wire that is being twisted to form a loop that engagesthe eye of the hook.

Crank handle IB is now engaged and rotated, thereby rotating the shhookthat is engaged by and suspended from hook I1, and such a-ction coilsthat ponti-on of the Wire between the eye of the fishhlook and the notch39 around the adjacent parallel portion of the Wire and this coilingaction is yieldingly resisted by the tension imparted to arm 39 by thespring 3| `and also by the fnictional contact of that portion of thewire that is positioned between the notches 39 and 49 and the underlyingand overlying flanges 35 and 35 respectively.

Due to the fact that the tension arm 35 is inclined downwardly from itspivot point and the wire passes from the space 31 upwardly through notch39, said wire as it is drawn from the space 31 will form a tight coilabout that portion of the wire that depends from the eye of the fishhookdownwardly past4 the free end of the tension arm and as such coilprogresses, the end portion of the wire will be drawn through thenotches 39 and 40 and through space 31 until the coil has reached theeye of the iishhook.

The coiling operation is terminated a short distance from the eye of thehook and thus a loop is provided that passes through and secures the eyeof the hook to the wire and which latter provides a leader between thehook and line. Obviously, the device may be used in forming loops at theends of wires that engage rings, swivels, and the like.

To increase the torsional strains in spring 3l and consequently increasethe tension or resistance to upward movement of the arm 3D, it is onlynecessary to move the outer end of arm 32 upward and engage it in one oithe upper notches 25 in flange 24 and which procedure is carried outwhen the device is utilized for forming loops in the larger sizes ofwire.

In the modified construction illustrated in Figs. 5, 6, and 7, a tensionarm 43 is pivoted at one end to a plate 44 that corresponds with plate23 and which is adjustably mounted on member I9 and the outer portion ofsaid arm 43 is provided with a ange 45 that is disposed substantially atright angles to said arm.

Arranged beneath the flange 45 and projecting through an opening 46 thatis formed in the upper portion of arm 43 is a transversely disposedplate 41. That portion of the plate that projects through opening 46 isrebent so as to provide an inclined lip 48 that underlies the plate 41and thus, a wedge-shaped space 49 is formed between said lip and theadjacent portion of the plate for the accommodation of wires ofdifferent slzes.

Passing downwardly through flange 45 and through a short longitudinallydisposed slot 50 that is formed in plate 41 is a bolt 5I on the threadedend of which is located a nut 52. An expansive coil spring 53 isarranged on bolt 5| between the nut 52 and the under side of plate 41.

Lips 54 are pressed downwardly from ilange 45 to the sides of plate 41,thereby providing guides for said plate in its transverse slidingmovement beneath said flange and the spring 53 bearing against the underside of the sliding plate produces a certain degree of yielding pressurethat resists such sliding movement.

Where this form of tension arm is utilized, the wire that is to betwisted to form a loop has its end portion extended through thewedge-shaped space 49 and from the edge of the plate the Wire extendsupwardly, thence through the eye of the lishhook or swivel, thencedownwardly past the free end of the tension arm.

Thus it will be seen thatl I have provided a wire loop forming devicethat is relatively simple in construction, inexpensive of manufactureand very effective in performing the functions for which it is intended.

It will be understood that minor changes in the size, form andconstruction of the various parts of my improved wire loop formingdevice, may be made and substituted for those herein shown anddescribed, without departing from the spirit of my invention, the scopeof which is set forth in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

l. In a wire loop forming device, a support, a shaft journalled on saidsupport, a hook on the lower end of said shaft, a member mounted forvertical adjustment on said support, a plate mounted for verticaladjustment on said member, anr arm pivoted on said plate, means on saidarm for receiving and holding a wire that is to be twisted to form aloop and adjustable means for yieldingly resisting upward swingingmovement of said arm.

2. In a wire loop forming device, a support, a shaft journalled on saidsupport, a hookon the lower end of said shaft, a member mounted forvertical adjustment on said support, a plate mounted for verticaladjustment on said member, an arm pivoted on said plate, the free end ofwhich arm terminates at a point below the hook on said shaft, the upperportion of said arm being provided with a slot that is wedgeshaped incross section for the accommodation of wires of diierent sizes andadjustable means for yieldingly resisting upward swinging movement ofsaid arm.

3. A wire loop forming device as set forth in claim 2 and there beingwire receiving notches formed in the upper portion of said arm above thewedge-shaped space therein.

4. In awire loop forming device, a support, a vertically disposedshaftjournalled on one end of said support, a hook on the lower end of saidforr receiving and holding a wire, a torsional spring on said bolt, oneend of which spring is seated in said pivoted arm, an arm projectingfrom the other end of said spring, a flange on said plate and the freeedge o` which flange is notched for the reception of the arm thatprojects from said spring.

5. In a wire loop forming device, a substantially T-shaped support,means on the horizontal portion of said support for rotating a member towhich a loop of wire is to be attached, a plate adjustably mounted onthe vertical portion of said support, an inclined arm pivotally mountedat one end on said plate, the free lower end of which arm occupies aposition below said rotating means and means associated with the pivotedend of said arm and said support for yieldingly. resisting the upwardswinging movement of said arm.

6. A wire loop forming device as set forth in claim 5 and with means onsaid arm for receiving and holding the wire that is to be twisted toform a loop that engages the member carried by said rotating means.

7. A wire loop forming device as set forth in claim 5 and with means forlimiting the downward swinging movement of said arm.

JOHN HEIDRICH.

